PLEADING for a change of guard in Baramati and ouster of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, NCP (S-P) national president Sharad Pawar today said his grandnephew Yugendra Pawar was well-educated, capable youngster who has the potential to carry forward his legacy and therefore Baramatikars should ensure his victory with a record margin. In 2019 elections, Ajit Pawar was elected from Baramati with a record margin ofr 1.67 lakh votes.

Addressing the concluding day election rally in Lendhi Patti ground in Baramati city this afternoon, Sharad Pawar, who arrived around 5.30 pm to a rousing reception from the jam-packed crowd, Pawar said,''Yugendra Pawar was educated abroad. Today, he is engrossed in social work in Baramati. He has ability to work for the development of Baramati. He has the knack to understand problems and find solution for them...He knows what is required to be done. I am sure Baramatikars will love his way of working...And therefore, you should give him an opportunity.''

Taking a jibe at Ajit Pawar, Pawar said as he was seeking opportunity for Yugendra Pawar to represent Baramati, some people (Ajit Pawar) are raising questions like what should I do ? ''Then what should I do ?,'' he asked.

Pawar said Baramatikars first made him the MLA in 1967. ''I then became the chief minister. Baramatikars gave me 30 years. Then they elected Ajit Pawar. We made him the Deputy Chief Minister...Now, Baramatikars should give an opportunity to the next generation for the sake of future development,..Yugendra has been touring in Baramati villages and has been interacting with them,'' he said.

Pawar said,''Wherever you go in the country when they take the name of Baramati, who do they remember ?'' As the crowd shouted, Sharad Pawar, he said,''Now Yugendra Pawar will carry forward that tradition. Therefore, Baramatikars should elect him with a record margin. The way we ensured development, Yugendra will work with more vigour.''

Attacking BJP and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis,''What did Devendra Fadnavis and his colleagues do for Maharashtra ? They did only one work. They sent industries which wanted to set up shop in Maharashtra to Gujarat. He then read out the names of big companies. 

Pawar said,''Baramati and its surrounding areas are suitable for farming purpose. However, during the Mayahuti reign in Maharashtra over 20,000 farmers have committed suicides. What was their fault ? The farmers died because of the wrong policies of the government. The Modi Government waived Rs 18000 crore loan of 16 big industrialists but it has not ensured reasonable rates for farm produce.''

Pointing out that Lok Sabha elections showed to the country what Maharashtra was all about and what Prime Minister Narendra Modi intended to do, Pawar said,''The Lok Sabha elections and its results has showed to the country what Maharashtra was all about. Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister of the country. I know what he was intending to do. He was urging voters to elect 400 of his MPs. If you have to run the country and run the Lok Sabha, you don't need the support of 400 MPs. If you intend to change the constitution given to us by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, then you need 400 plus MPs. The meaning was crystal clear. Narendra Modi wanted to change the constitution drafted by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar.''

Criticising the Ladki Bahin Yojana, Pawar said,''In the Lok Sabha elections, the MVA secured success as it won 30 seats out of the 48 seats in Maharashtra. The voters kept Narendra Modi at bay in Maharashtra. After the rulers failed in Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, they brought in Ladki Bahin Yojana. On one hand, they brought the Ladki Bahin Yojana and on the other, what is the condition of our womenfolk ? Are they safe on our land ? Look at the atrocities committed on women during the current regime. As per the police station records, more than 67,000 women have suffered atrocities...''

Pawar said in Maharashtra 64,000 women are missing. ''What security have the government given to our womenfolk ? They tom-tom about Ladki Bahin Yojana, but look at the way women are suffering in Maharashtra. 

Several NCP leaders including MPs Supriya Sule, Dhananjay Mane and Amol Kolhe also spoke before Sule. Yugendra Pawar also addressed the gathering.

While Yugendra is contesting his first election from Baramati, Ajit Pawar has won the seat for seven consecutive times, the Indian Express reported.